The Wesley Research Institute Health Services Research team along with Care Navigator, Kelly McGrath attended the Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand (HSRAANZ) conference last week at the Royal International Convention Centre (Royal ICC) in Brisbane!

Katie Hobbs, a local Clermont resident, organised a mental health event in Clermont at Hoods Lagoon in September, raising more than $4600 for mental health research.

Katie Hobbs, a local Clermont resident, is running a mental health/suicide prevention event in Clermont at Hoods Lagoon on the 28th to the 29th September!

We are delighted to announce that Isaac Navicare has been nominated and successfully shortlisted as a finalist in the 2024 Queensland Mental Health Week Achievement Awards!

On Thursday last week, in conjunction with Elam Moranbah and MDSS Moranbah, Isaac Navicare hosted R U OK? day breakfast for the Moranbah community. The breakfast had a huge turnout and it was encouraging to see locals come together to support each other.

Isaac Navicare is now offering face-to-face care navigation services in Clermont, Queensland. Realising the positive impacts the service has had on the Moranbah community since 2021, has spurred further research and interest in opening new Health Navigation services across rural and remote communities.

Indigenous Australians face significant health challenges compared to non-Indigenous Australians. On average, Indigenous Australians live about 8 to 9 years less than non-Indigenous Australians. At Isaac Navicare, we are dedicated to helping close the health gap faced by Indigenous communities in Australia. The health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians are very important issues that need our ongoing attention and care.

The Navicare model was developed by researchers at the Queensland University of Technology and Wesley Research Institute in consultation with the local community in 2020. In order to understand if this model is working for you, your region, and if it would work in other regions, we’d like to hear from users of the Navicare service or from people who have tried to access services in the region.

In a significant step towards improving mental health services across Queensland, Mental Health Care Navigator Kelly McGrath has showcased the impressive achievements of Isaac Navicare at a recent regional ministerial cabinet meeting and Town Hall meeting in Mackay in May.  Attended by the Honourable Steven Miles, MP, Premier of Queensland, cabinet ministers and over 200 locals, the event highlighted the critical role of Navicare in addressing mental health needs in rural and remote communities. The Honourable Shannon Fentiman, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services, and Minister for Women, alongside Michael Walsh, Director-General of Queensland Health, were among the key attendees.

Childbirth is a joyful event for many, but it can also bring significant physiological, social, and emotional changes that negatively impact overall physical and mental wellbeing. Many parents initially feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. However, these feelings generally resolve quickly. When these feelings persist, it can be indicative of a more serious mental health issue.

Globally, postnatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) is the most common birth complication.

Mental Health Care Navigator Keeley Ryan had the pleasure of attending two careers' expos organised by James Cook University’s Central Queensland Centre for Rural and Remote Health. Students from Moranbah, Middlemount, and Dysart high schools attended the careers’ expo in Dysart on February 28 at the Dysart Community Centre, while students from Capella and Clermont high schools attended the one in Clermont at Clermont State High School on March 13. Keeley provided guidance to students and hopefully inspire them to pursue a career in mental health care.

Our new study published this week in PLOS ONE demonstrated how supportive mental health care navigation can help reduce healthcare inequities faced by people living in rural and remote Queensland. Kelly McGrath, Care Navigator, and Dr Olivia Fisher, Senior Research Fellow at the Wesley Research Institute, led an evaluation of Isaac Navicare’s uptake and effectiveness during the initial 12-month pilot.

Mental Health Care Navigators Kelly McGrath and Keeley Ryan, and CEO of Wesley Research Institute Andrew Barron met with the Honourable Michelle Landry, Federal Member of Parliament for the Capricornia region in Moranbah to discuss the vital needs of mental health support in the region, and the important role Isaac Navicare plays in supporting the Isaac community.

The team from Queensland University of Technology ‘The Bridging Study’ spoke with members of the Moranbah community and others in the Greater Whitsunday Region to determine the next site for the Navicare service. After considering a range of factors, Clermont was chosen as the newest site for the service. 

In the complex journey of life, grief and loss are sometimes unavoidable. Grief is something that is experienced very individually, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. The process can take longer for some people than others. Things such as the type of loss, your previous experience of loss, your culture and beliefs, and the support you have available all influence the grieving process.